1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a buckle for water sports equipment and in particular relates to a buckle for diving goggles, swimming goggles or the like.
2. Description of Related Art
The buckles which are used in water sports equipment such as diving goggles, swimming goggles or the like must generally satisfy two main requirements: ease of adjustment of the length of the strap, both when shortening and increasing the length, and a minimum dimensional volume. While, with regard to this latter aspect, there have never been major problems designing buckles which sufficiently small dimensions, on the other hand combining this feature with efficient ease of use has always been problematic.
EP 824029 discloses a buckle for straps of diving goggles or the like in which a toothed strap, namely a strap with substantially equidistant reliefs oriented perpendicularly with respect to its longitudinal axis, co-operates with a buckle provided with means for engagement with said strap in the form of a ratchet mechanism able to co-operate with said teeth of the strap, so as to allow sliding thereof during shortening, namely when the strap is tightened around the diver's head, and having an operating lever which allows disengagement of said mechanism from the said teeth so as to allow sliding of the strap in the opposite direction. This type of device has disadvantages of two kinds: firstly the pivoting point of said lever is subject to a high degree of wear and breakage. Moreover, in order to obtain a configuration which allows effective operation by the diver, the lever must project considerably, thereby resulting in a considerable lateral volume of the goggles; lastly, the operation is somewhat awkward to perform.
The document U.S. Pat. No. 4,727,630 describes a buckle made of plastic and consisting of a single moulded part with a strap insertion passage defined by top and bottom walls facing each other and side walls also facing each other. The front wall of the buckle has an engaging portion defined by an opening in the form of a U-shaped slit. The engaging portion is elastically deformable and has an engaging tooth provided on the inner side of its end portion. The side walls are provided with side holes communicating with the strap insertion passage. Operating means penetrate inside the side holes, it being necessary for them to be elastically deformed inwards in order to enter into contact with the side portions of the engaging portion, so as to allow an upwards displacement of the free end of the engaging portion.
This device has clear advantages compared to the device described previously, but also has some obvious drawbacks; in fact, if on the one hand a small overall volume and reasonable ease of operation are ensured, on the other hand it must be considered that in this case neither has it been possible to provide a device which is completely safe and free of the problems due to accidental release. It must be pointed out that, in particular in the case of diving goggles, the device considered is one where being able to control the position is of primary importance.